Internal-combustion engine



Feb. 17, 1931. H M, ROCKWELL 1,792,658

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Y Filed oct. '7;' 1925 3 Sheets-,shelet-J- HSV au Feb. 17, 1931. H. M. RocKwELL INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY I NTERNAL COMBUST ION ENG INE Filed Oct. 7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ffa NVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 1'7, 1931 HUGH'M. RockWELL, or ELMHURST, NEW YORK INTERNAL-COMBUSTIGN ENGINE Application filed October 7, 1925. Serial No. 61,077;

Accordingto the invention, the` valve is actuated by a rocker, one end' of which is engaged by one end of a tappet rod which bears lo at its other end directly against a cam thus obviating the need otra cam follower guide. The rocker is mounted in a housing which is adjustably mounted on one end oft a tube, the other end of which is adjustably mounted 15` on the crank case. The housing is also con nectedr to: a cylinder by a link The tube surrounds the tappet rod and byY means of it, the rocker arm housing may be adjusted to obtain the proper clearance between the tappet rod and rocker or cam. The cams are formed on a sleeve rotatably mounted concentric with the crank shatt and driven therefrom through suitable gearing. j

Referring now to the drawings, Y

valve, rocker arm, and tappet rod relationship. Y Fig'.,2 is asection on line-2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isan end elevation of thecamy support and tappet. rod guide.

Fig. 4 isv a` side elevation thereof; Fig., 5l is a vertical section therethrough. Figs. 6 and 7 show the tappet rod structure. v

Fig'. 8 discloses the: tappet rods intheir relationship to the cam and guide member, and Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8. In applicants copending application, Ser. No. 46,835, tiled July 29, 1925, is shown an mi engine to which the hereinafter described valve actuating mechanism is particularly adapted. In said application is disclosed a substantially cylindrical casing C from which project a plurality of cylinders. One of these cylinders is represented at 10 in F'ig. 1 and is provided in its outer end with a pair of valves, only one of which 11 is disclosed in this iigure, the other being a substantial duplicate. The stem of valve 11 is hollow and is slidably mounted in a guide member 12 mounted on Fig. 1 is; a` vertical section showing the Vthe cylinder. At the end of the valve stem isV mounted a collar 13 between which and `an abutment 14 o-n the member 12 is arranged a pair oi concentric helical valve operating" springs 15V and 16, the inner of which is made of smaller diameter wire than the outer.A In theend olf thevalve stem is frictionally-held a plug 1Z.

A. two part housing 18' is supported from the crank case C by a. tube 19 having oneend threadedinto aclamp collar 20 tormedin one section of the. housing, theadjoining parts of the two sections of the housing having. formed therein semi-spherical sockets which, when thetwo parts are joined together by the bolts 21', form aspherical recess. In this re` cess isv rotatably mounted a sphericalmember havi-ngarms which constitute a rocker 22. Une end'isfin contact with the plug 17 and the other endengages the end of a tappet rod to be later described. The end of the rocker 22 in contact with the tappet rod engages guide members 22a-projecting from the interior of the Vhousing 18,.A "A, link 23 connects the housing .18 to the. valvesupport 12. The other end ofthe tube 19 is provided with a flangey 24 seated in a socket in the crank case C andy is heldin place byva nut25 threaded into theI socket. The bottom of the socket and the face of the flange arey rounded to permit proper inclination of thetube at diii'erent adjustments. ot the tube in the housing. The housing 18 actsas a fulcrum for the rocker 22v and may beadjusted relative to the crankcase by meansA of the tube. 19.

Y A hollow tappet. rod 26 is slidably mounted in the tube 19, the bore. of which Agradually increases. from top tobottom, and has one end engaging an end ofthe rocker 22 and the other end operatively related to a cam member to'be described later.` i

Supported by a wall of the crank case C, is a hollow shaft 2.7.` vThis shaft has a thread'- ed portion extending through the wall on which is previded a nut 28.` Rotatably mounted on shaft 27 is a sleeve 29 which is. driven from the crank shaft by a planetary reduction gearing in the manner described in applicants copending application, Ser. No. 61,076, filed @ctober 7, 1925. Cams BO'and 31 100 project from the surface of the sleeve 29 and a timing gear 32 is provided to operate a distributor. A cup-shaped member 33 is clamped against the wall of the crank case by the shaft 27 and substantially surrounds said shaft. In this member is provided a plurality of guides 34 through which project the ends of the tappet rods 26. A key 35 prevents rotation of the members 27 and 33. The shaft 27 and nut 28 serve to locate and lock in place the sleeve 29 and member 33.

The end of the tappet rod 26 is bifurcated to receive a roller 36 having studs 37 seated in semi-circular grooves in the end of the rod. The roller is held in place by a wire 38 passing through a hole in the rod and bent down along the sides thereof, the ends of the wire being bent to enter holes in the studs 37. These wires also fit in grooves 39 in the tubular members 34 to prevent rotation ofthe tappet rods. The tappet rods are thus always maintained with the rollers in alinement with the cams 30 and 31 on the sleeve 29.

The above described rocker arm support obviates the need of a separate cam follower and guide and permits the use of a'tappet rod of a definite length. In order to get the adjustment of the rocker relative to the tappet rod and valve stem for proper clearances, the nut 25 and the clamp collar 2O are loosened to permit turning the tube 19. The housing 1S may thus be drawn toward or moved away from the crank case pivoting on the link 23 until the proper adjustment is obtained. The curved contacting surfaces ofthe flange 24 and the socket receiving it allow the tube 19 to assume the proper inclination for its adjusted position and the tapered bore of the tube insure proper clearance between the tappet rod and its inner surface.

It is, of course, understood that various changes may be made in structure without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

IV hat is claimed is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case, a cylinder carriedjthereby and having a port, a valve for said port, a housing adjustably supported from said crank case, means for pivotally connecting said housing to said cylinder, a rocker mounted in said housing and operatively related to said valve, a cam, and a tappet rod for said rocker contacting with said cam.,

2. In an internal combustion engine, a crank oase, a cylinder carried thereby and having a port, a valve for said port, a rocker for operating said valve, a housing supporting said rocker, means for pivotally connecting said housing to said cylinder, a tubular member mounted on said crank case, adjustable supporting connections between said tubular member and said housing, a cam, and a tappet rod for said rocker mounted in said tubular 'member and contacting with said cam.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case, a cylinder carried thereby and having a port, a valve therefor, a tubular member supported by said crank case, a housing adjustably supported by said .tubular member, means for pivotally connecting said housing to said cylinder, a rocker arm for actuating said valve mounted in said housing, a cani, and a tappet rod for said rocker arm contacting with said cam.

t. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case, a cylinder having a port, a valve therefor, valve supporting means, a tubular member having a flanged portion seated in a socket in said crank case, the contacting surfaces of said flange and socket being rounded, means t hold said flange in said socket, a housing adj ustably mounted on the end of said tubular member, a rocker for said valve mounted in said housing, a cam and a tappet rod for said rocker having one end contacting with said cam.

5. In an internal combustion engine, a

rank case, a cylinder having a port, a valve therefor, valve guiding means, a tubular member having a iianged portion seated in a socket in said crank case, the contacting surfaces of said fiange and socket being rounded, means to hold said flange in said socket, a housing adjustably mounted on the end of said tubular member, a link connecting said valve guiding means and said housing, a rocker for said alve mounted in said housing, a cam and a tappet rod for said rocker having one end contacting with said cani.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a crank case, a cylinder carried thereby and having a port, a valve for said port, a rocker for operating said valve, a housing supporting said rocker, means for pivotally connecting said housing to said cylinder, a cam in said crank case, a tappet rod of fixed length interposed between said rocker and said cam, and an adjustable supporting member for said housing surrounding said tappet rod.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiii; my signature this 5th day of October, 1925.

HUGH M. ROCKWELL. 

